Pink Aerostone

"Pink Aerostone: Named by Sir Cornelius Archibald, Dean of Geology Department.
Location: The current origin point of Pink Aerostone is unknown. Expeditions to the Serpent River Valley have discovered that almost 90% of the supply routes for Aerostone pass through the primitive town of Karaczou in the Serpent River Valley. Suppliers tend to be Kenku traders who mine the stone from somewhere in the Arcanian Range, who have made this small town the base of their operations. Unable to communicate the origination point for the stone, and unwilling to show the expedition their route, despite the promise of exceedingly large amounts of wealth, the Kenku Aero Traders are currently, in the knowledge of the Academy of Natural Philosophy, the only people with the knowledge of the location of Pink Aerostone. An Expedition with the Galvonic Department is pending to find the origination point." - Summary of Findings by the Geology Review of Samples from the Third Expedition to the Serpent River Valley, 1252-1256, by the Academy of Natural Philosophy, Sir Cornelius Archibald

Properties

Material Characteristics

The Academy of Natural Philosophy has been able to perform multiple tests on the relatively small assorted samples of Pink Aerostone recovered from multiple scientific expeditions to the continent of Talren. Aerostone seems to be similar in appearance to the foliated orthogneiss found commonly in the Arcanian Ranges that surround the Arcanenia Reaches. Aerostone boasts tight oscillating bands of different varied color, however, the majority of the stone oscillates between mafic bands of iron and bands of pink tinted, energy-infused quartz. These crystalline structures are relatively small, as if they were created very quickly.

Physical & Chemical Properties

The stone is slightly warmer than stone should be. Observations have been able to find that Aerostone will remain a few degrees warmer than more natural stone. The Department of Geology believes this is due to the fact that Aerostone's crystalline structure is more conductive than start Gneiss, and has the ability to store energy.
Pink Aerostone is known to contain a small amount of arcanic energy in its more chaotic form. Expermentation on the stone has thus far shown that the Aerostone does not contain enough of this energy to cause injury to anyone that might use it.
Aerostone, as it names may suggest, exhibits anitgravitational abilities. The stone seems to be able to hold around 100 times its own weight while floating against the pull of Daearen. Experimenters have yet to determine if this part of the innate quality of the stone or a result of the chaotic energy being held within the crystalline matrix. Most Natural Philosophers seem to believe it is a result of the supernatural qualities of the stone, however.

Compounds

Pink Aerostone is used in some divination based potions, and is the main ingredient for the new drug, Zephyr. Both the divination potions and the drug are typically liquids that ground up and refined Aerostone particulates are suspended in, usually a alcohol and crushed golden root solution.

Geology & Geography

Aerostone, to the knowledge of the Academy of Natural Philosophy can only be found in the southern reaches of the Arcanian Range. Myths and legends from the area, specifically perpetuated by the Kenku Aero Traders, insinuate there is a range of floating mountains of Pink Aerostone on which a mythic lost civilization resides. These legends have not been confirmed by any expedition to the region, and are largely believed to be fallacious in nature.

History & Usage

History

Up to the current age, the stone was used as novel pieces of architecture, or used as one of the main ingredient in divination potions. Around the year 1379, the Inkheart Cult began experimenting with the possibility of turning Pink Aerostone into a powerful Hallucinogen drug, now the primary use for the stone.

Discovery

The stone is believed to have been created in one of the many battles in the Southern Passes of the Arcanian Range during the later years of the Millennia War of the First Age. The stone was not discovered until a few centuries into the Second Age, however. Who initially discovered and mined the stone is still a mystery.

Cultural Significance and Usage

Zephyr laced wine has been used as a powerful alcoholic beverage in the kingdom of Zouzen, used at the Feast of the Fallen. The drink is used to induce the faces and features of the honored soldiers as those in attendance at the feast wander the Remembrance Gardens around the capital of Zou.

Refinement

To refine the Aerostone into anything useful, the rock must first be washed and then pulverized into a fine powder. Powerful magnetic devices are then used to separate the metallic particulates from the finer cystalline powder. The powder then is sifted through a series of increasingly finer metal meshes to remove all impurities.

Hazards

It is fairly easily to overdose on the drug Zephyr. It takes an individual with a high Constitution to stand against even a small amount of the drug. The Hallucinations from the drug are also said to create real visions that harm the user. There are urban legends that even state people who are cut in their waking nightmares are have this evidence of harm on their person afterwards. The Academy of Natural Philosophy has stated that this is most likely a result of self-harm as a result of drug induced psychosis.

Type

Stone

Color

Dark Red or Bluish-Green Streaks between Large bands of small, pink crystals.